Man conspired to rape child, jurors are told

Matthew Stansfield, 34, of Gosport, denies an alternative charge of conspiracy to sexually assault a child under the age of 13 but admits child abuse image offences.

He is part of a trial at Bristol Crown Court, which heard a gang of paedophiles raped and abused a baby and a pre-school child in attacks live streamed over the internet.

Members of the child sex ring preyed on the families of the youngsters they targeted – sometimes offering to babysit their victims, jurors were told.

Some would travel long distances to carry out the attacks together or watch a live stream using hi-tech video conferencing software if only one had access to a victim, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Robert Davies told the jury that five of the gang have pleaded guilty to a range of offences, including rape of a child and conspiracy to rape a child during 2013 and 2014.

Mr Davies said evidence against Stansfield a John Denham, 49, from Wiltshire, also centred on videos, photographs and chat logs taken from computers and phones.

Denham denies a charge of conspiracy to rape a child under the age of 13 and the alternative of conspiracy to sexually assault a child under the age of 13.

He has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child and indecent images offences. The court heard in one incident Stansfield drove 100 miles to another man as the man had an opportunity to have time alone with a baby.

Robin Hollyson, 30, from Bedfordshire; Christopher Knight, 35, from Manchester; Adam Toms, 33; David Harsley, 51, and Matthew Lisk, 32, have pleaded guilty to a range of offences, including rape of a child and conspiracy to rape a child during 2013 and 2014.

Mr Davies said: ‘This prosecution will take you into a world you wish did not exist.’